Texas Tech adds opponent to 2018 football schedule

Thursday

Texas Tech has added a home game against Lamar to the 2018 football schedule and moved a game against Missouri State, clearing the way for the Red Raiders to open the 2018 season against Ole Miss.

The 2018 non-conference schedule, the most near-term dates Tech has been trying to finalize, would have Tech and the Rebels playing Sept. 1 at NRG Stadium in Houston, followed by Red Raiders home games Sept. 8 against Lamar and Sept. 15 against the University of Houston.

Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said Thursday the contract for Tech-Ole Miss has yet to be signed, but he assumes it will be once ESPN works through contractual language with the SEC and the Big 12.

In addition to hosting Lamar in 2018, Tech also will play Lamar in a 2021 season opener at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Missouri State game, first booked as the 2018 season opener, has been rescheduled for Sept. 16, 2023.

Tech's next non-conference schedule need is a home game against a power-five conference opponent for the second week of the 2021 season. However, with the 2023 schedule full and road trips to power-five opponents North Carolina State in 2022 and Oregon in 2024, the Red Raiders can't complete a two-game series against the unknown 2021 opponent until 2025.

"So that's going to be unusual," Hocutt said, "to find a home-and-home opponent that is split between 2021 and 2025, just the way that scheduling is going now."

The current consideration for Big 12 expansion candidates and future makeup of the league puts Tech in a holding pattern for now.

"The other piece to this is conference expansion," Hocutt said, "so I don't plan in the coming months to do much more with this until some of those questions are answered."

Thanks, coach

Louisiana Tech inside receiver Trent Taylor said the effusive praise he received this week from Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury "means a lot, coming from him."

Taylor's a 5-foot-8, 178-pound senior with career numbers of 210 catches for 2,632 yards and 23 touchdowns. To put those into a Texas Tech context, Taylor has six more catches than Danny Amendola and yardage and touchdowns virtually identical to Joel Filani.

And to think: Taylor had one scholarship offer coming out of high school, despite producing big numbers for two state championship teams at Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian. He said he's grateful to then La Tech-assistant Tony Franklin, a spread-offense coach who's been on staff with Mike Leach, Tommy Tuberville and Sonny Dykes.

"I can't say I was surprised," Taylor said, "because I know I'm an undersized receiver. It wasn't too surprising I only got one offer. I just tried to do the best I could with the opportunity I had, just giving as much production on the field as I could possibly give and hopefully somebody would notice.

"I think my ability to read defenses and understand the game of football is what's helped me a lot. That's not something you can kind of see on tape."

Texas Tech and Louisiana Tech square off Saturday in Lubbock. This week, Kingsbury said Taylor plays "like a maniac," going all-out every play and running precise routes. Kingsbury said he'd like to have the Bulldogs' star in his own offense.

"I like to be a guy that's known for his effort, which is kind of what coach Kingsbury mentioned," Taylor said. "I'm glad to hear that people are kind of taking notice of that.

"That's the kind of player I want to be known as. That's the kind of teammate I want to be known as, somebody that leaves it all out on the field, holding nothing back."

Back to Lubbock

Former Texas Tech lineman Josh Outlaw is a second-team offensive tackle for Louisiana Tech, so he'll be playing on Saturday against his former teammates.

"It'll be a bittersweet moment," Outlaw said. "It's an opportunity to come back and see a couple of friends across the field Saturday evening. I look forward to coming in and hopefully pulling out a victory for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs."

Outlaw signed with the Red Raiders and redshirted in 2013 and played in 2014 before transferring. He spent last year at Tyler Junior College, but didn't play because he said paperwork was not approved until late in the season.

At the moment, he's backing up at both right tackle and left tackle.

"Things have been pretty good," Outlaw said. "It's been a transition with me coming from Texas Tech and going juco and having to learn a new offense. I'm transitioning into learning this new system, but I'm looking forward to furthering my opportunity here."